For Star subscribers: Tucson’s Davis-Monthan Air Force Base will become home to a new special-operations wing, ensuring the future of the base as its A-10 ground-attack jets are retired.
David Wichner Tucson’s Davis-Monthan Air Force Base will become home to a new special-operations wing as its A-10 “Warthog” ground-support jets are finally retired over the next few years, under a new Air Force plan.
An Air Force “Site Activation Task Force” has already begun work to determine requirements and plan the transition for the new wing. 'Good fit'The Special Operations and search and rescue units also will have less impact on the community than replacing the A-10s at D-M with F-16s or F-35s, which are both significantly louder than the A-10 and other aircraft based at D-M.
“I think it’s a good fit for Tucson, and I think it’s going to be a pretty seamless adjustment because it’s not the louder fighter jets,” Morales said. Lobbying effortIn early April, Kelly and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, Reps. Ruben Gallego and Rep. Juan Ciscomani wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, urging him to work closely with the Arizona congressional delegation and the Tucson community to secure the long-term future of D-M.
Shifting plansIn 2021, members of Congress led by Kelly blocked an Air Force plan to retire 42 A-10s, including 35 at D-M, as part of a larger plan to create a center of excellence for combat search and rescue at the Tucson base, which already hosts a search-and-rescue group. The Air Force wants to free up funding to buy more F-35s and F15-EX fighters, as well as new tankers, utility helicopters and airborne communications planes.
The rescue units often train with A-10s, who have long provided close air support to rescue missions.
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